The Role of the Board

The Board of the Tana Forum provides both strategic oversights on the Forum as an institution and decides on the each Forum‘s broad agenda and participation. It is comprised of eminent African personalities who have demonstrated leadership, inspiration and experience in their fields of endeavour. The membership of the Board shall demonstrate regional, gender, intergenerational and cross-sectoral representation.

Given its key role, it is important that the Board be technically and politically sound to ensure a holistic and integrated leadership of the Tana Forum. In this regard, a number of the members have practical experiences in addressing peace and security issues, namely former Presidents John Dramani Mahama of Ghana and Joyce Banda of Malawi. These personalities have political and practical experience in conflict resolution and post-conflict reconstruction at national or regional levels and will be able, through their networks in Africa and globally, to steer the Forum in the right direction.

As already acknowledged by the African Union, peace and security have gendered implications. It is therefore critical that the Tana Forum Board be guided by input from people who support and promote gender dimensions and balance. Members such as Ambassador Soad M. Shalaby will be able to keep the direction of the Tana Forum grounded in grassroots/community realities based on their experiences and research in the area of peace of security, as highlighted by the Tripoli Declaration (2010).

The academic sector is important in ensuring that future perspectives are brought to bear on the work of the Tana Forum. Individuals like Professor Souleymane Bachir Diagne will help fill this gap. The importance of the media is reflected in the selection of Alain Foka, the producer of “Memories of the Continent“ and an Award-winning journalist.

Another dimension which is important for the Tana Forum is a good understanding of the institutional dynamics, both on the continent and nationally, and how these impact on peace and security prospects. Board members such as Ambassador Berhane Gebre-Christos, Professor Lakhdar Brahimi and Professor Hashim Tewfik, with their vast experiences in these areas, will continue to serve as valuable assets to the Forum.